"He showed today, he's rocked up and bowled really nicely with pace and smashed the right good areas, picked up a wicket in the first few overs, beating the left-hander (Imam) on the outside edge."

Plunkett, England's other wicket-taker in a four-over spell of one for 27 on what is now his Surrey home ground, added: "It looks easy for him, he ambles in and bowls 93 mph, he makes it look effortless."

Questions have been raised about the effect on team morale of catapulting Archer, only recently qualified on residency grounds, into England's World Cup squad.

But Plunkett said: "With him in your squad, you're going to be a better team.

"Whoever performs best should be in the squad. If it wasn't Jofra, someone else would be knocking on the door... If they come in and bowl well, they deserve to be there."